Heritage of Fear
by Riverwraythe
Summary: A tale of the life of Highland King Mortspear, father of Ungatt Trunn and Verdauga Greeneyes...{Chapter Three Up!}
1. Lord TealFur

Author's note: My first real fanfic! ^^ Mind, there's a lot of made-up characters to fill the gaps, but since not enough info has been released about Mortspear I haveta create some. Please review, if you will!  
  
Lord TealFur!  
  
The name struck fear into the hearts of the Southern lands. For two seasons and a moon the cat had wandered hill and dale, slaying, stealing, recruiting; until all of the lands south of Mossflower where under his sway. None dared challenge the power of the cunning Warlord, so as his lands grew so did his horde. They where the Searchers, murderers, savages, plunderers all. None could resist their power! And at their head, like some ancient demon, was TealFur, son of Dest and Virell, lord of the Southlands!  
  
The Seer dodged 'round tents, hordebeasts, and campfires. The ragged cloak swished in the spring breeze as she avoided the touch of the Searchers and their possessions. They, in turn, touched their ragged left ears in a respectful greeting as the mysticbeast passed. None of the many weasels, stoats, ferrets, foxes, and rats that formed the Searchers could see the Seer's face, since she wore a hood. When the groups dwindled to a select few the hooded Seer halted, staring at a blue tent that was clearly occupied with one of high ranking.  
  
Blotchfur the stoat, one of the guards positioned at the sides of the tent entrance tugged his ear, nodded, and pulled back the flap of the tent for the mysterious beast to inter. Within the tent a small fire burned. A few feet from the fire, seated on the simple wooden chair, sat a fierce-looking Wildcat. His paws, tail, and ears were stained with teal. A stripe of the same color ran from betwixt his ears to the tip of his nose. Wearing a simple leather vest and a bracelet of bones sat the Lord of the Southlands, TealFur. A faint grin appeared on his face as the cat watched the hooded figure.  
  
"Morgra, come sit. Have you any news?"  
  
The Seer removed her hood. She was a wildcat like the lord, ears, tail, and paws painted teal, only she did not have his stripe. A line of teal dots from her forehead to her nose replaced the stripe, which was only for TealFur. A smile flashed across her face too.  
  
"Yes, my lord. Great tidings that only the lord and his faithful Slayers to hear."  
  
A ferret Slayer, or captain, brought Morgra a chair and set it next to TealFur. Then, with a tug of the ear, sat on the ground on the opposite side of the fire. Sitting next to TealFur Morgra placed a small paw on his.  
  
"The fates have given more word on your heirs." She growled softly. Instantly the lord's steal-colored eyes brightened.  
  
"Blotchfur, go and gather my Slayers! I want all of them here!" Flamepaw, the ferret Slayer, kept silent until the pawsteps could no longer be heard before speaking. The fear was plain in his voice.  
  
"Sire, the heirs….what does Lady Morgra mean by them? What is coming?" The ferret shivered visibly as the cat rose to his paws. However, a fiendish smile played about his face as his paw lay on the decorative hilt of a rapier sheathed at his side.  
  
"Soon, my Flamepaw. Soon." TealFur said silkily as he watched his Seer, who sat with her eyes closed as if in a trance.  
  
The five loyal Slayers sat around the fire, each representing their species. TealFur's eyes swept over them. All five where paw-picked out of their kind, the most deadly and dangerous of the horde! His eyes fell on the fox, who was toying around with a coin on a chain. Flamepaw, the four other Slayers, and TealFur sat in an unsure silence. Claws drumming on the armrests of his chair the lord turned to the female anxiously.  
  
"Well, what do you see, Morgra?"  
  
The Seer opened her brown eyes, letting them sweep over the Slayers like her lord's did. Slowly her voice reached their ears, speaking in words what she had seen for the past two moons.  
  
"Lord TealFur, for moons it has been the same. The fates always show me a wood of lush vegetation. A river runs through it. There is a small waterfall and a deep pool in the wood. Always I see it at the sunset. Then the scene changes, two cubs lay on the grass near the pool. The spirits of the past stand over them while our Searchers bow their heads to the cubs. Then it becomes stormy. I see a young cub, female, sit alone next to a swelling river. This female looks nothing like the two and does not bear the markings. Who it is I know not. Afterward everything fades into a black mist…." Morgra re-closes her eyes. "I see nothing more."  
  
TealFur strokes his whiskers in thought. "Always the black mist….Bloodnoose, Chaimp," He pointed to the rat and fox Slayers. "Take your swiftest Searchers and scour the land for the wood and pond that your Lady described. Return in two days to report what or what not you saw."  
  
The two in question stood and bowed to TealFur.  
  
"Yes, m'lord, we will not fail you."  
  
"Aye, w'll find the place, Sire!"  
  
Quickly they exited. Afterward the lord turned to the ferret. "Flamepaw, post sentries to lookout for Bloodnoose and Chaimp's scouts. I want to be informed when they approach, not a second later."  
  
"Yes Sire." With a bow her, too, left the tent. With a wave of a paw the Wildcat dismissed the weasel and stoat Slayers.  
  
"Go. I have a job for you in the morn."  
  
When the last of the Slayers had left, TealFur stood and walked around Morgra's chair, his keen eyes watching her.  
  
"So, the fates say my heirs will number two." Standing behind her he placed both paws on the back of the Seer's seat. "And they will arrive within a wood."  
  
"So it seems, Sire." Whispered Morgra. She sat very still, slightly fearing the male. She shivered when his tail wrapped lightly around her throat like a furry ornament.  
  
"Do you not wonder? For the heirs of my throne are yours as well…" He whispered silkily. The tail shifted a little on her neck.   
  
"I question and the fates answer. Only time will tell the answer to your thoughts, lord."   
  
TealFur chuckled softly. He was lord of all the Southernlands, and nothing could stop him. Not even his kin who remain unborn…. 


	2. The Ancient's Babe

A day had passed since Chaimp the fox Slayer had his scouts sent out to explore the land. All day and all night they ventured, not once halting in fear that any spies from their lord were watching their movements, waiting to slay any who slowed their pace. Now on the morn of the second day they rested in a grove of trees. Perched sullenly on a stone sat Chaimp. His yellow eyes watched the movements of his scouts as they ate, cooked, slept, and occasionally fought with one another. Moodily the fox twirled his coin necklace around, allowing it to hit the stone he perched upon with every turn.  
  
Chaimp was a common-looking fox. With gold eyes and orange fur he didn't stand out much in the horde, except he bore the markings of a Slayer: teal paint covered his black paws and was found on the tip of his ears, while the common Searchers bore teal markings under each eye. A ragged green tunic and a belt were his only clothing. Chaimp's eyes fell on a former searat who was struggling to make a meal of a skinny bird. The fox had watched the rat slay the bird with his sling, even though the bird was at the gates of Dark Forest before it was killed. Now he watched the rat angrily tear at the feeble carcass before flinging it into surrounding wood and turning on the rat that sat near him.  
  
"Dunder'ead, stop sittn' there and go fetch me some vittles!"  
  
Skot, the second rat, stood and ambled farther into the wood with a small sack, in search of berries. "Go get yer own, Chaintail Bulgebelly!"  
  
Chaintail growled, baring blackened teeth at the retreating rat. "Bulgebelly y'self, scoffn' down berries and not givin a measly pawful to yer own mate!" He spat in Skot's direction before turning back to his fire.  
  
Chaimp growled to himself, his thoughts on TealFur's rage when he and his group returned to the camp. "Ya wont have to worry about food when y'get back to the horde, rat. Toothless gums won't help yew when ya manage to steal a scrap of food when yer ordered to starve, if ya still have breath in yer, that is."  
  
The rat in question turned on Chaimp and growled. "Yea, well if I had my way I wouldn't be sittin' here while a gutless stripecat cracks a whip o'er my 'ead. Aye, I'd be lord 'o my own domain, feedin' off the fat 'o the land!"  
  
The fox snorted. "I'd like tah see that. Git to sleep and savor yer last pitiful dreams afore the cat slips a knife betwixt yer ribs, Mighty Lord Bulgebelly!"  
  
Muttering to himself, Chaintail lay down on the dewy grass to sleep.  
  
.+.+.  
  
Sonel watched the old otter sitting on the other side of the fire. The young badger maid had met the strange creature only that morning and let her rest at her campsite in the forest. The otter, who had not yet given her name to the maid, was an ancient-looking beast, wearing a long purple cloak and hood, armed with an oaken staff. Her silver fur seemed to shine in the moonlight as the otter lay with her back to a tree, muttering softly and clutching a bundle of rags.   
  
Thinking the ancient quite insane Sonel sat with her back to a tree trunk also and staring at her odd companion. Sulita, or just Sonel, was a young but strong badgermaid. Clad in a simple white smock and armed with a rusty dagger the orphan had wandered the landscape alone until she came to the forest. Mossflower, the creatures called it. She liked the name. Silently Sonel listened, straining her hearing power to catch the jumbled words of the ancient.  
  
"….great power, great power to destroy all vermin….only a cat can slay a cat…yes…yes….she will slay….slay the murderers….who…who took the first light…she will….will return the….light to….the…..throne….." With a soft clunk the oaken staff fell from the otter's paw. Her head drooped and soft snoring could be heard by Sonel. Tippawing, the badgermaid ambled to the side of the sleeping creature. The otter's other paw was holding the bundle of rags.  
  
Gently…oh so gently, Sonel moved some of the rags. Curiosity claimed her and, as the thing within the bundle could be seen, a cry of shock welled up on her throat.  
  
Within the bundle lay a sleeping babe…  
  
A wildcat cub.  
  
Slowly Sonel returned to her place on the opposite side of the fire. With her back to the tree trunk the badger sunk into slumber, thoughts of the babe and unknown memories of a place she had never been before; a rocky place with a scent of the sea in the air….hovering about her mind. 


	3. Punishments

"What?!!!"  
  
TealFur was in a high temper, pacing back in forth angrily and shouting at Bloodnoose and Chaimp's quivering forms. Neither the rat or the fox had had any luck finding the area Morgra had described. Thus the Wildcat lord was in a mood even the storms that wreaked havoc about the land could not compete with. With TealFur's rapier and death threats at their tails the two Slayers fled the tent. The cat stomped out of the tent, rage blinding his eyes. With two swift moves TealFur slew Blotchfur the stoat guard and his companion who were standing, as always, at the sides of the entrance. Slicing the air with the bloodied rapier his voice boomed out over the camp.  
  
"Akujiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"  
  
The ranks of watching Searchers parted, allowing a silver-furred mink saunter towards the wrathful lord. A dark-green cloak was draped about him, tattoos littered the face of the creature. Finally the mink stepped up to face TealFur, turning his red eyes on him.  
  
"What do you call upon me for, lord?" The mink's voice was like an echo, something long gone with only a faint trace of its presence left. When TealFur regained his calmness he began to pace around the mink.  
  
"Akuji, is it true you served my father and was loyal to him?"  
  
"Yes, my lord. I was the right paw of your father, Dest, king of the Northern Mountains..." The echo-like voice spoke again; neither showing emotion or question. TealFur suddenly turned on the mink, his face inches away from Akuji's, the tip of his rapier tickling the speaker's throat.  
  
"Never, never, speak that name in my presence." He growled through clenched fangs. "My father has been long dead for seasons now. Like the soil on his grave he will not be remembered in my hordes. You serve me now, you worthless excuse for an assassin!" Wrenching the blade away from Akuji's throat he stared wrathfully into the assassin's blood red eyes. Still no emotion was shown.  
  
"Yes, my lord."  
  
In one quick swipe the rapier blade flew past the mink's face, just cutting the tip of his nose. With the point tickling Akuji's throat the cat began whispering silkily into the assassin's ear.  
  
"Good, good, now I have a job for you..."  
  
Wrapped up in old blankets the two former Slayers sat near a small fire, a day's run from the horde's camp. The sat shivering, glaring at each other and occasionally throwing death threats at the other. For a long while Chaimp's eyes were locked on the coin that hung from the chain in his paws. The gold shined in the firelight. Wrapping the tattered blanket around his form Bloodnoose watched Chaimp toy around with the item.  
  
"Hoi, snotnose! What's that thing yer got there?" Chaimp raised his head to face the rat, as if just noticing his presence.  
  
"Oh, 'tis just a trinket I stole offa otter 'bout two seasons ago. What's it to ye, ratface?" The fox snarled aggressively and Bloodnoose glared back.  
  
"Good morn, comrades."  
  
As if he had always been sitting there, Akuji the mink appeared sitting next to Bloodnoose and Chaimp. He smiled, red eyes smiling with trust. He offered a napkin with a few bits of cooked fish on it to Bloodnoose.  
  
"Would you like some dace, friend?" With a growl the rat knocked the offering into the flame and unsheathed the short sword given to him by TealFur.  
  
"Tryin' ta poison us, eh?" A fiendish sneer grew on the rat's face. The tip of the blade tapped on Akuji's already wounded nose. "I see through yer little words." The point shifted to Akuji's throat. Slowly moving the blade from his neck, the mink turned to Chaimp.  
  
"Why, my friend? I only came to assist you." His voice was coated with sadness.  
  
Chaimp snorted. "Yah an' fishes fly an' birds swim. Ye lie; I know yer TealFur's little lackey."  
  
The mink put on a face of pain disbelief. "How could my own mates suspect me of anything, when I only came to help them slay the cat!"  
  
Bloodnoose shook his head. "You lie, mink."  
  
Akuji stood and stomped a footpaw down in anger. "For too long that stripecat and his kin have ordered me around! For too long I've watched good, strong Searchers die in feeble attacks planned out by him and the cat's sire!" Hatred dripped from his voice as the word flew to sting the two sitting figures. Rage shined in Akuji's red eyes. "For too long I have waited, waited for the perfect chance to strike him down! Now I ask of you, my friends, help me in the killing of that barbaric creature who calls himself a warlord!" He looked down at the rat and fox. The light of greed began to show in their eyes. They nodded and the mink smiled.  
  
"Aye, that worthless scum has breathed long enough!"  
  
"Yea! Let's slip a likkle blade inter his throat. Tonight!"   
  
Akuji clapped his paws together. "Good! Now, go and gather any who agree with my plan and meet me at the edge of the camp at midnight."  
  
As the two stood and ambled off, they failed to catch a glimpse of the axe that was drawn from behind the flowing green cloak, and did not notice when it was raised above their heads......  
  
The sun was setting, and TealFur lay on the side of a hill, basking in the dying rays. He sighed. Morgra had not been seen in his horde since the night Bloodnoose and Chaimp where sent out to scout the land, and TealFur had begun to worry for her. This was because, of course, within her the heirs of the lord of the Southernlands awaited their birth. The sound of pawsteps grew louder as the weasel Slayer Zaire approached.  
  
"Sire, Akuji has returned. Alone."  
  
Zaire was a trustworthy weasel, no longer young in seasons, with his brown fur becoming slightly grey in patches. He was a cunning bowbeast, his skills with the bow and arrow legendary in the horde of Searchers. Now he stood on the top of the hill whilst awaiting the reply of his master.  
  
TealFur twirled a paw in a bored fashion. "Then the scum have been taken care of?"  
  
"Yes, Sire, both beheaded and left to rot."  
  
TealFur nodded and sat up, tail swishing through the long grass. "Tell Akuji to come here, after that search for the two next Slayers. Only the best."  
  
"Yes lord. But...."  
  
"But, what?"  
  
"The scouts?"  
  
"Slay them."  
  
Zaire nodded and left the cat to his thinking.  
  
An arrow was notched and Zaire took aim, felling a rat scout. His green eyes wandered about the group of tied former scouts and the other archers slaying them. Another arrow took the life of a stoat whose spear skills where impressive in the eyes of the weasel. Zaire sighed and notched another arrow. 


End file.
